Christmas teachers gifts

[Herschellmum]

*not sure if this is in the right place.

What are you getting teachers and assistants this year? Also does anyone buy for other staff? Senco? Lunch staff? Head? Office? Would a sharing box of chocolates be more offensive than not bothering?

I have 4 children all in different classes, all with Teacher’s Assistants, and all the staff are wonderful and go above and beyond their job descriptions. So what are you getting? I’m looking for nice ideas that won’t require me remortgaging to get everyone something.

Oh god how long before this becomes a teacher bashing thread

To answer, biscuits / chocolates for the staffroom at the start of the last week. Done.

Dds firs year I got her teacher and ta both a £5 Costa voucher.
Second year (same staff) a bottle of prosecco each
Third year (same staff) a Ted Baker hand wash/hand cream set.

Now her fourth year she has new staff plus ds has just started and he has obvs new staff so they are all getting £5 Costa or starbucks.

Oh and I only buy for classroom staff.

I've bought a box of celebrations for the staffroom. On special offer in Tesco at moment. Then wine for teacher and tas. My son has a 1:1 so they'll get a bottle of wine too. Plus this year I will get SENCO something because she's managed to get my D's an ehcp.

My DCs are 11 & 6 this year I have decided to send in a hamper for the staff room in each building (ks1 & ks2) going to put some nice tea and coffee in with a selection of biscuits and cookies.
Previous years I've done Christmas decoration, stickers, nice selection of coloured pens, bottle of wine. But most teachers wouldnt expect a gift and are happy with a handmade card.

I bought some pretty but purse friendly planner type notebooks from Wilko. Their stationary bit has some lovely stuff.

Teacher and TA only though.

I buy a pack of plain (usually wooden) decorations from somewhere like Poundland or The Range and decorate them using the recipients initial. Last year got four decorations for £1, decorated, put in a little gift box (from Card Factory), cheap enough to give all staff concerned a gift, all seemed to genuinely be appreciative.

Example in case it sounds totally naff!

A homemade, very easy, chocolate/cake type treat for the staff.

A nice card and something small for the teachers.

Brilliant, thank you all. Liking the costa idea.

I don’t usually buy everyone else something, maybe the receptionist at the old school, but this is a new school and they have really gone above and beyond for them all, I have 2 children with SEN so I have a lot of contact with head and senco.

Chandndler - they are so lovely. Wish I possessed some creative skills.

As a teacher i'd advise...

Wine! (Mini bottles if you have multiple teachers/TAs to but for)

Coffee gift card (any gift card tbh)

Tasteful Xmas decoration

NOTHING with 'special teacher' etc etc on it (all goes to charity shop)

NO CHOCOLATE we get so much at Christmas

& Def NOTHING HOMEMADE! In our staffroom teachers will not touch homemade cake (the thought of children's grubby hands near baking...)

But really teachers don't expect anything. A nice card with a genuine message of thanks is nice tho.. or wine --I start teaching vocabulary such as pinot grigio about now..

Agree what is really appreciated is a handwritten note of thanks.
Wine and chocolates tend to get swapped between staff as not everyone consumes them/already has loads.
Homemade whatever tends to go in the bin. Sorry. We do say thankyou nicely though.

I got a homemade christmas table centre piece one year. Loved it.

I buy large boxes of nice biscuits at random intervals during the year, to be shared in the staffroom. I reckon a bit of appreciation in February goes a long way.

But I do do Christmas/thank you cards for the class teacher and all the TAs.

Awesome. Thanks ... I don’t drink, never had, nor my family, so I know nothing at all about wine. Costa card it is. Thanks everyone. I will write a nice Card and send in boxes of chocolates/biscuits etc for General staff. Thanks.

I'm a teacher.
For my children's school I've done as pp suggested - hamper of tea, coffee, biscuits and some sachets of hot chocolate / cappuccino things. We really appreciate that in our staff room.

I club together with some of the other mums in the class, we do a fiver each for the teacher and ta and buy a voucher for whatever amount we get, all the kids sign one card. It means they get a larger amount and I don't have to guess what wine or chocs they'd like!

I’m a teacher and last year the parents put a couple of ££ in together and got me a gift card, it was a really lovely gift as they knew I was moving house.
Any alcohol is also greatly appreciated by most teachers

If you've had a lot to do with the SENCo, get her something rather than the class teachers - they will get loads, but SENCo won't.

However, as others have said, a note or card, or {best of all} and e-mail that copies in the HT to the staff member, expressing your thanks, and mentioning something they did, however small, that made the world of difference to you or your dc, is the BEST thing to do.

Don't believe whoever it was that said teachers don't want chocolate. A tub of celebrations / Quality Street / Roses etc in the staffroom is all that keeps staff going for the last 3 weeks of term. As soon as they are opened it's like a plague of locusts has passed through. By doing that, then everyone who support your dc gets appreciated - PPA teachers, SENCos, school Receptionist, SMT, TAs, etc.

I would get the teacher / TA just. Wine would always be appreciated. Not really into mugs etc.

A tasteful tree decoration would be lovely.

£5 book voucher or something.

But a lovely message is what I keep (have all mine kept)

A game for the class room
A plant for the garden
Box of cakes for the staff room
Offer of X hours of help on a trip or reading

Tesco do mini Xmas cakes (for non bakers) which I usually give with a small bottle of wine and a mini candle. Sometimes do miniature port or baileys

I have friends who are teachers. Based on what they ask I think what teachers would appreciate most of all is a note or email to the headteacher expressing your appreciation for the teacher, so long as it’s genuine!! Good feedback is rare and if it’s said to the teacher, whilst it’s lovely, it doesn’t make its way up to leadership unless the teacher actually goes and tells them, which can sound boastful. Same goes for the end of the year, this means so much and will stay in their minds longer than a gift!

we usually do xmas panatone - I always think even if you don't like it, you could re-gift it!! We usually do Class teacher, assistant when my children were younger, music teacher (only because she play in the orchestra and learns an instrument). we used to give to the caretaker as he was also the school crossing patrol and a really lovely man!